Question

Voicemail from Keith Olson Hospital Infection Control

Hello, Laura. I wanted to reach out to you and let you know that yesterday our long-term care unit as well as our labor and delivery unit reported an unusually high number of gastrointestinal symptoms. Nearly all of the 26 persons in both wards (16 in long term and 10 in labor and delivery) reported they were suffering from nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. All reported they had become ill during the night. I just wanted to make you aware of this situation as the epidemiologist for our local health department.

Answer these questions based on your observations

At this point, what types of questions are you, the epidemiologist, beginning to think about asking the infection control nurse at the hospital? In the first part of the assignment, please prepare an exhaustive list of questions you are looking to ask to ascertain additional information to assist you in your investigation, if one is needed at all. Should this complaint/concern be investigated further? Why or why not?

Answer 1

The list of questions which has to be asked to the infection control nurse are

• The area or the locality where the patient received from? (to assess any community infection)
• The age group ,gender of the patient (to know the prevalence and incidence of the condition )
• Patient reported of any specific food, water, etc., intake has to led to this condition (to identify the source of infection )
• Any associated symptoms and patient status(to know the prognosis )
• The severity and nature of conditions (along with incidence ,prevalence ,source to report to the health department to alert for any epidemic outbreak .

This complaint has to be alerted and investigated further to prevent epidemic outbreak in case of communicable disease .This can help to take appropriate preventive measures.